In the prior art, there are many types of foldable pushchair. In particular we distinguish the category of flat-folding pushchairs in which all hinges allowing the structure to be folded have parallel rotation axes oriented in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the pushchair.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,066 illustrates an example of a flat-folding pushchair which is simple to convert from the unfolded position to the folded position and vice versa.
FIG. 1 shows in a diagrammatic side view an example of a flat-folding pushchair according to the first type of folding, the pushchair being shown in the unfolded position.
The structure of the pushchair comprises a number of elements including the handle uprights 1, 1′, an inclinable backrest 2, front legs 3, 3′ fitted with rolling means 4, 4′, rear legs 5, 5′ fitted with rolling means 6, 6′, seat supports 7, 7′, a handle 8 mounted in an extension of the handle uprights 1, 1′. On the side view in FIG. 1, elements 1′, 3′, 4′, 6′, 7′ are not visible. Also the structure of the pushchair comprises a number of hinges 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, the axis of rotation of which is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, allowing the pushchair to be folded. Finally the structure is fitted with textile elements for ergonomics and the comfort of the child, in particular a textile base 10. The inclinable backrest 2 is mounted pivoting on the pushchair structure by means of a hinge 13, the axis of rotation of which is parallel to hinges 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 for folding the pushchair.
Such a pushchair is suitable for transporting a child in the seated or inclined position, facing forward in the direction of movement of the pushchair.
Patent application FR 2933362 illustrates another type of pushchair according to the prior art which offers the advantage of being particularly compact in the folded position. In fact this document describes a foldable pushchair in which, in the folded position, the upper edge of the backrest comes to lie on the upper end of the front leg and the lower end of the rear leg. Thus the backrest, front leg and rear leg, all three of which have a substantially similar length, are superimposed in the folded position. Consequently the largest dimension of such a pushchair in the folded position is substantially equal to the height of the backrest.
FIGS. 2A to 2C illustrate, in a diagrammatic side view, an example of a flat-folding pushchair according to the second type of folding, the pushchair being shown respectively in the unfolded position (FIG. 2A), in the semi-folded position (FIG. 2B) and in the folded position (FIG. 2C).
The structure of the pushchair comprises, as well as the handle uprights 1, 1′, inclinable backrest 2, front legs 3, 3′, rear legs 5, 5′, seat supports 7, 7′ and handle 8 as described above, backrest connecting rods 51, 51′, front leg connecting rods 61, 61′ and a number of hinges 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, the axis of rotation of which is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, allowing the pushchair to be folded flat. The upper end of the front legs 3, 3′ is mounted pivoting on the hinge 41, the axis of which corresponds to the front edge 9 of the seat formed between the seat supports 7, 7′. The upper end of the rear legs 5, 5′ is mounted pivoting on the hinge 44 situated on the lower part of the handle uprights 1, 1′. The backrest connecting rod 51 is mounted pivoting firstly on the hinge 41 and secondly on the hinge 43 situated on an intermediate point of the handle uprights 1, 1′. The front leg connecting rod 61 is mounted pivoting firstly on the hinge 42 situated at an intermediate point of the front legs 3, 3′ and secondly on the hinge 46 situated at the lower end of the handle uprights 1, 1′. The handle 8 is mounted pivoting on the handle uprights 1, 1′ about hinge 47.
In side view, the shape formed by the hinges 41, 43, 44, 45 is a deformable quadrilateral 50 situated in the central part of the pushchair structure. In the unfolded position (FIG. 2A), this quadrilateral 50 has the shape of an arrow head. When the pushchair is folded (FIGS. 2B and 2C), this quadrilateral 50 deforms by the relative movement of hinge 44 away from the hinge 41.
Also the shape formed by hinges 41, 43, 46, 42 is a deformable pseudo-parallelogram 60. The pseudo-parallelogram is dependent on the quadrilateral 50 insofar as the hinges 43, 44 and 46 are fixed on the same structural element of the pushchair, namely the handle uprights 1, 1′. Thus deformation of the quadrilateral 50 described above causes a concomitant deformation of the pseudo-parallelogram 60.
The result of the structure thus described, on movement of the pushchair from its unfolded position to its folded position, is the forward swivelling of the lower ends of the rear legs 5, 5′, the rearward swivelling of the lower ends of the front legs 4, 4′, the folding of the handle uprights 1, 1′ against the seat supports 7, 7′ such that the upper edges of the handle uprights 1, 1′ come to face the front end 9 of the seat supports 7, 7′ and the upper ends of the front legs 3, 3′, allowing a particularly compact folding.
A textile base 10 is fixed to the structure of the pushchair, thanks in particular to tensioners 12, 12′ connecting the upper end of the handle uprights 1, 1′ to the front edge 9 of the seat formed between the seat supports 7, 7′ (on FIGS. 2A to 2C, element 12′ is not shown). These tensioners 12, 12′ allow deployment of the sides of the textile base 10, thus forming an advantageous side protection for the child seated in the pushchair. On folding of the pushchair (FIG. 2B), the upper end of the handle upright 1 moves closer to the front edge 9 of the seat. When the pushchair is fully folded (FIG. 2C), the upper part of the backrest 1—and consequently the upper edge 2 of the backrest—comes to lie on the front edge 9 of the seat in the folded position. The foldable pushchair thus produced is compact since its greatest dimension is substantially equal to the length of the handle upright.
However, said pushchairs are not totally satisfactory for the transport of a newborn infant. In fact they are designed for transporting a child facing forward. It is generally agreed that for a child of less than 6 months, the best transport position is facing the parent pushing the pushchair, lying flat or in a very inclined position.
To remedy this drawback, in the prior art there are numerous types of foldable crib adapted to the pushchairs, which supplement these to allow the transport of a newborn infant. Patent application DE 19748902 illustrates an example of a foldable crib according to the prior art. However such a device is not totally satisfactory in the case of a pushchair of the type described, since it must be removed prior to folding, or it must be folded at the same time as the pushchair, preventing a compact folding. Furthermore it does not have a protective cover which effectively protects the newborn infant from the effects of the sun.
The aim of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks by proposing a flat-folding pushchair which can be used from birth, which is fitted with a protective cover and is easily moveable between an unfolded position and a folded position.